1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an optical position detection apparatus optically detecting the position of a target object and an appliance having a position detection function provided with the optical position detection apparatus.
2. Related Art
An optical position detection apparatus optically detecting a target object has been proposed, in which, for example, a first light source unit and a second light source unit emit detection light toward the target object, and a light receiving unit detects the detection light that is reflected from the target object. According to this optical position detection apparatus, the first light source unit and the second light source unit are arranged to be in the same position in a first direction in which detection lights are emitted and to be spaced apart from each other in a second direction that crosses the emission direction (first direction) of the detection light. According to the result of the detection in the light receiving unit when the first light source unit and the second light source unit are sequentially turned on, the position of the target object in the second direction can be detected (for example, see JP-T-2003-534554).
However, according to the configuration described in JP-T-2003-534554, the first light source unit and the second light source unit are installed in the same position in the first direction, and thus the position of the target object in the first direction (the emission direction of the detection light) cannot be detected. In FIG. 2 of JP-T-2003-534554, a configuration is disclosed, in which a third light source unit that emits a detection light in an inclined direction against the emission direction of the detection lights from two light source units is additionally provided. However, even in such a configuration, it is difficult to detect the position of the target object in a wide range in the emission direction of the detection lights from the first light source unit and the second light source unit.